Help / Troubleshooting
Why does it scan for me but not a customer?
4 min read · updated
If a code decodes for you but not for someone else, the code is very likely fine — the difference is almost always in how it's being viewed. The three most common causes, in order of likelihood:
Contrast. A code that reads on your phone's bright screen can fail on a dim print, laminate glare or a low-contrast colour pair that only just passes. The editor's contrast check uses the WCAG ratio, which is stricter than most phones need — but lighting varies a lot more in the real world than at a desk.
Distance and angle. Phone cameras vary in how close they need to be and how well they handle an angled shot. A code sized for an arm's-length scan can fail from across a counter, and a sharp angle stresses the finder patterns more than a straight-on scan does.
The camera app. Not every phone opens the system camera to a QR reader by default, and some older or budget Android camera apps don't recognise QR codes at all without a separate scanner app installed. If a customer says 'nothing happens', ask what app they used before assuming the code is broken.